History

The framework for the Museum of
Contemporary Art was developed with the creation of the Serralves Foundation in
1989. In 1991, award-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira was commissioned to
design the new museum in the grounds of the Serralves Estate. In 1996, construction
of the building and the planning of a museographic programme begun. Vicente
Todolí was appointed by the Board of the Serralves Foundation as the first
Artistic Director, with João Fernandes as Deputy Director.

The
Museum was inaugurated on 6 June, 1999 with the exhibition, ‘Circa 1968’. This
ground-breaking exhibition, reflecting a radical decade of art making that
corresponded with a period of social and political change in Portugal and
around the world, was a manifesto of the Museum’s international ambitions and the
historical starting point for the Museum´s future collection and artistic
programme. In 2003 João Fernandes was appointed Director of the Museum, with Ulrich Loock as Deputy Director. In January 2013, Suzanne Cotter assumed the role of Director. In January 2018, João Ribas assumed the role of Director. In
April 2019, Philippe Vergne assumed the role of Director.